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Skimmer making gurgling sound

I just got my pool up and running a few hours ago. I went out to empty the skimmer basket before bed and I noticed it has a really good "tornado" in the skimmer and suction is good but its making a gurgling sound. Is that normal? As many of you know, I'm new to the pool world.

Re: Skimmer making gurgling sound

It means either the water level is too low or the weir (flapper) is sticking.

16K freeform gunite with spa; Pentair 4000 DE filter; Century Whisperflow 1 HP; Pentair Minimax heater.Troublefree does not mean Maintenancefree. It's like brushing your teeth: You can spend a couple minutes a day and pennies a week or go to the dentist once a year and spend several thousand dollars.A pool is like a pet - you have to feed it every day, even the days you don't want to play with it!

Re: Skimmer making gurgling sound

Water level is at about the middle of the skimmer opening. There is no flapper, when I take the skimmer basket out I can stick my hand down to hose. There is also no flapper on the front of skimmer. Doesn't look like it ever had one.

Re: Skimmer making gurgling sound

Hi again SadieBailey,
The weir door is missing? That will for sure do it. Fix that first, my skimmer box has 2 small holes at the bottom of the inlet at the gasket, this is where the weir door clips in. (Hayward brand)
Try and find something plastic or stone that's very flat and try and mount it in the basket standing up to stop the swirling until you get a weir door.
Try one more size smaller eyelet in your return(s)

Chuck

Swim n Play 21' round, expandable 72" liner, 6FT deep center, buried 14", 12,750 Gallons
Waterway 1HP-2 speed with 22" Sand filterTF-100 test kitThanks to TFP my pool is perfect all the time :party:
I now suffer from Sparklypoolitis! :whoot:
I am a Platinum contributor because I want everyone who comes here to Trouble Free Pool to have the same success that I enjoy with my pool and family.

Re: Skimmer making gurgling sound

ahh, well that explains my problem! I experienced this as well, there was a very thin whirlpool being created (called a vortex I learned) that would go all the way down to the basket and make an obnoxious sucking sound, even though the water level in the skimmer stayed pretty high. Putting a stone in there solved the problem so I just assumed that my pump was too strong, but thanks to this thread I learned that my skimmer is supposed to have a door!